The pupil premium is additional funding provided to schools to support disadvantaged pupils to ensure they benefit from the same opportunities as all other children, reach their full potential and to close the gap in attainment that exists between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

There are three categories of children that qualify for pupil premium funding:

• children who are currently eligible for free school meals (FSM) or have been in receipt of FSM at any point in the last 6 years,
• children who have been looked after by Social Care continuously for more than 6 months and
• children of those employed in the armed forces.

Do you qualify?

Your child will be eligible for Free School Meals/Pupil Premium if you receive any of these benefits: 

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• The Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

• Child Tax Credit with an annual gross income into the household that is no more than £16,190 provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit. If you are entitled to any part of Working Tax Credit, there is no eligibility with the exception of working tax run-on as shown below.

• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.

• Universal Credit

At Courthouse, we allocate the funding to support our curriculum development, the quality of teaching and intervention.  Our strategic focus is driven by:

• observation of the children and their needs,
• data analysis at school and national level,
• review of the last plan and best value and
• educational research e.g. the EEF Pupil Premium Guide and Teaching and Learning Toolkit and the Sutton Trust's What makes great teaching?

Pupil Premium - Are you eligible? 

Pupil Premium is an allocation of funding from the Government that is given separately to the main school budget.  The government provide this money to help school address the current national underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers. The funding is to ensure that provision is in place for those disadvantaged children who need it most.

The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011 and is allocated to schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’). There is also an allocation for children who are “Looked After”, adopted or children of service personnel.
Since the introduction of Free School Meals for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, these children may miss out on this additional funding. We do encourage parents to complete a form if they think they may be eligible, even if they do not need to claim a free meal.

What is the difference between Pupil Premium and Free School Meals (FSM)?

Pupil Premium Grant: The pupil premium is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers.
Free School Meals: this is one aspect of support available to families of lower income. Free School Meals is part of the Pupil Premium Grant

How might a child be eligible for FSM or Pupil Premium Funding?

A child may be eligible to receive the Pupil Premium Grant/Free School Meals if the parent receives anyof the following Income Support

• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit

Children who get any of the above benefits in their own right (ie they get benefits payments directly, instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get the Pupil Premium Grant/Free School Meals.
Children under the compulsory school age who are in full time education may also be able to get Pupil Premium Grant/Free School Meals.

How do I apply for FSM?

If you think that your income is low and you receive any of the benefits listed above then download the application form from our school website or collect from our school office to apply for the Pupil Premium/Free School Meals.